Happiness Doesn't Come Easily

I’d like to thank Oli and Tierra for beta-ing this chapter. I couldn’t have done it without them both.

This chapter contains some description of abuse. If you’re not completely comfortable with this please don’t read this chapter.
As always reviews are greatly appreciated and wanted. Constructive criticism is also read and taken into account as I write. I write this for everyone and I want to write the best story that I can.
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Chapter Ten

Abi was sitting with Brian and Rome chatting when she felt someone standing over her shoulder. She tilted her head back and smiled. It was Han. She grabbed his hand and pulled him around the couch and down next to her. She snuggled down next to his side as she turned back to her friends.

“So are you dating him?” Brian asked.

“Maybe. You got a problem with that?” Abi asked.

“No. No problem. I just never thought you of all people would like an Asian guy.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know. I always thought you liked guys like Derek.”

“Derek was an ass and I’ll never date another guy like him.” Abi said as she got a dark look on her face.

“Who was Derek?” Han asked.

“Just the asshole I dated for three years.”

“I take it, it didn’t end well?”

Abi snorted, “Not really. Unless you call leaving me to die ending well.”

“WHAT?!” yelled Rome, Brian and Han as they all look at Abi.

“He left me to die.” Abi reiterated.

“What do you mean he left you to die? What did he do to you, baby girl?”

“Just what I said. He was an abusive bastard that needs to die a slow painful death.”

“Abigail Yolanda Boswell why didn’t you come to me?” Rome asked.

“How could I? You were in prison for stealing tires. Brian was gone! I had no one left. We moved to L.A. and he got abusive. At first it was just a slap on the face, but soon it escalated into severe beatings. I started racing every night in the hopes that he’d leave me alone, but he always ended up drunk and would start beating me. The day he left me to die, he came home sober wanting to talk. He was a perfect gentleman that night. Foolishly I fell for it. He told me he was sorry for the way he had been treating me. He asked if I could ever forgive him. I said yes. He even took me out to my favorite restaurant. I was such an idiot to believe that he had changed. It was after we got home that night that I realized that he hadn’t changed at all. He hadn’t drunk much at dinner, but he exploded once we got into the house. He accused me of flirting with our waiter and called me a slut. He told me that he’d make sure no guy would ever want me again. The first punch caught me by surprise. I wasn’t expecting it and it knocked me off my feet and into the wall. I thought I could get away from him, because the look in his eyes told me that if I didn’t, I wasn’t going to survive to see the morning. I grabbed my cell phone and tried to dial Leon’s number, but he grabbed me from behind and threw me to the ground. I tried to wiggle out from under him, but he was too strong. He flipped me over and I tried to kick him, but he just blocked me. I was screaming for him to stop, but he didn’t listen. I was trying to fight back, but he pressed his forearm to my throat and told me that he didn’t want to choke me out. He wanted me to see what he was going to do to me. I knew then that he was going to kill me this time. He reached down and grabbed the switchblade he keeps on him at all times and flipped it open. I’ll never forget that sound. He pulled my shirt up and cut me from one side to the other. He flipped me over and carved his name into my back. After that I passed out from the pain. I woke up several hours later and knew I needed help. I found my cell and called Leon. The next time I woke up I was in the hospital and three days had passed. Leon told me that once they got to the house Derek was back and was in the process of trying to slice off pieces of my skin. He was high on god knows what. The cops arrested him, but he got out on bail and left L.A.” Abi said.

“Is he in prison?” Brian asked. Abi shook her head no.

“Why in the hell not?” asked Han.

“I refused to press charges.”

“Why wouldn’t you press charges?”

“I just wanted to forget that it ever happened; besides Derek had disappeared and the police couldn’t or wouldn’t find him. Anyway Derek has enough money that he can disappear for years.” Abi replied as she stood up and walked away.

Abi walked over to Tierra and sat down next to her and smiled. Tierra smiled back and handed her a bottle of water. Abi lifted it to her lips and was getting ready to take a drink when she saw Morimoto’s car drive up. She watched as Morimoto got out and looked around. He saw her and walked over to her. She stayed where she was and raised her eyebrow and waited for him to explain the reason why he was there.

“You come with me now.” He said.

“Why?” Abi asked.

“No questions. You come with me now.”

“No.”

“Just come with me now.” He said as he grabbed her arm and tried to pull her to her feet. He was surprisingly strong. Abi tried to pull her arm free, but she couldn’t. Tierra stood up and went for Rome. Morimoto got Abi to her feet and was dragging her to the car when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around and saw a very large, angry man standing behind him.

“Where in the hell do you think you’re going with baby girl?” Rome asked as he narrowed his eyes at the smaller guy.

“I’m taking her back to where she belongs.”

“She belongs right here with us. You have no right to take her against her will.”

“Rome, don’t make a big deal out of this. I’ll go with him and straighten everything out. I’ll be back. Don’t worry.” Abi said as she got into the car with Morimoto. He sped away and headed for Takashi’s office. Morimoto pulled up to the building and stopped the car. Abi got out and stalked into D.K.’s office.

“What in the hell is the meaning of sending your goon to drag me back here.”

“You didn’t answer your cell phone.”

“I turned it off when I got to the race.”

“I wanted to talk to you.”

“You sent your goon to drag me back here so you could talk to me? How fucked up is that? You couldn’t wait until tomorrow?” Abi asked as she glared at him. She shook her head and sat down at the table in the room and waited for him to speak. She looked over at him and he was looking over some papers on his desk.

“Well.”

“Well what?”

“What do you want to talk about?”

“Nevermind. I don’t feel like talking now.”

“WHAT! You mean to tell me that you drag me down to talk and NOW you don’t feel like talking. What the hell is wrong with you? I was with my friends, who I haven’t seen in years, catching up and you want me down here to talk and now that I’m here you don’t feel like talking!” Abi ranted as she stood up and paced the small room. She turned to look at him and caught the smile on his face. She groaned. He was baiting her and she fell for it. She narrowed her eyes and pounced on him.

“You, sir, are a complete ass. You know that.” Abi said once she got him wrestled off the chair and onto the floor. She pushed on his chest as she got off him and sat down in his nice leather chair. She kicked her feet up on the desk and leaned back. He stood up and glared at her. She just smiled. He growled low in his throat at her. She grinned at him and looked over at the door as several people came in. She watched as D.K. and Morimoto stood to attention and had to laugh to herself. She watched as an older gentleman came into the room wearing a white hat and a trench coat. He looked up at her and turned back to everyone else. He motioned for everyone to leave.

Everyone has left but Abi, D.K. and Kamata. Abi slowly stood up and let Kamata have the chair behind the desk. He sat down as D.K. handed him a book and bowed. Abi was getting ready to walk out the door when Kamata stopped her.

“Wait, child. I wish to speak with you.” He said as he turned back to the book in front of him. Abi turned back and stood next to D.K. as they were talking. She could tell that Kamata wasn’t happy with Takashi and the books. Kamata picked up a photo on the desk and said something that caused Takashi to get a tear in his eye. Kamata turned to Abi at this point.

“Who are you?” he asked.

“Nobody.” Abi answered him.

“You must be someone.”

“Abi.”

“Abi. Do you know who I am?”

“You’re Yakuza.”

“Most people are scared of us.”

“I’m not most people. Besides you're nothing I haven’t seen before.”

“You’re a very brave little girl to say those things to me.”

“Thanks. Now if you don’t mind I’d like you to leave. I need to speak with Takashi alone.” Abi said as she walked over to the door and opened it, waiting for him to leave. He walked over to her and said as he walked out the door, “Be careful who you order around, my dear.”

Abi rolled her eyes and closed the door behind him. She turned back to Takashi and smiled.

“Let’s go for a drive, man.” Abi said as she picked up D.K.’s keys and ushered him outside to his car. They got in and Abi took off and started driving.

“What did Kamata say to upset you?”

“He noticed that Han is stealing from us. I’ve known it for awhile, but never said anything to him. He also was talking about my father.”

“What are you going to do about Han?” Abi asked as she glanced over at Takashi. He just shrugged. Abi drove up to the mountains and parked the car. She got out and sat on the trunk of the car. She waited for D.K. to get out and walk around to her. He stood looking at the road next to her. She watched him and tried to think of something to cheer him up.

Abi turned on her cell phone and called the garage to let them know she was fine and not to wait up for her. She waited for someone to answer the phone and as she was waiting she looked back over to D.K. and caught him watching her. She smiled at him as she heard a voice in her ear, “Hello.”

“Hey, Tie.”

“Abi, where are you? Are you ok? Do you need me to come beat the living crap out of Mori?”

“No. I’m fine. I’m with Takashi and I’m probably not coming back tonight. I’ll see you guys in the morning.” Abi said.

“Ok, sounds good. I’ll let Bri and Rome know. Talk to you tomorrow.” Tie said as she hung up the phone. She turned to Brian and Roman and shrugged, saying as she did so, “She’s with Takashi. She’ll be back tomorrow morning.”

“Tie, can you help us understand what is going on here? We were under the impression that she liked Han and was dating him, so why is she spending the night with another guy?” Brian asked.

“I don’t know what’s going on between Han and her or between her and Takashi. You’ll have to ask her tomorrow.” Tie said as she sat down on the couch next to Twinkie and Sean.